My Idea for Breaking Dawn: The Ultimate War

Summary:
The werewolves refuse to allow Bella to marry Edward and become a vampire. They are willing to do anything--ANYTHING--to stop that from happening. More barriers threaten to keep Bella and Edward from acquiring their ultimate happiness and they must once again fight for what they want--what they NEED.

Notes:

13. Chapter 13: Tension to Reconciliation

Rosalie began going through the clothes in her closet and I furrowed my eyebrows, "Um, Rosalie... not to be rude or anything...I don't want you to think I don't appreciate this...but...why are you doing this?"

Rosalie smirked, "Because Alice's taste in style is slipping and Edward will be more than inconsolable if you freeze."

I chuckled nervously, "No...no, no...I mean..." I didn't want to say the words out loud and offend Rosalie. It took me so long to gain her civility and this was dangerously close to the edge of "like" even--I didn't want to ruin that.

Rosalie was holding up an outfit to the mirror against her body, and she tilted her head to the side and scrunched her nose in an adorable manner, obviously silently debating, and she shook her head and cast it aside and turned to look at me. She smiled, "It's okay. You can say it. I know I was very cruel to you. I'm sorry. I really am."

She looked truly apologetic and I couldn't help but forgive her immediately.

I shook my head, "No...it's okay. I understand...it's fine."

"No, it's not!" Rosalie said, incredulously. She sighed and said, "Come here." She held out her hands and when I took them she led me to the bed and sat me down.

"Bella...I may not have understood why Edward was so drawn to you...why he refused to leave you alone...why he fell in love you, a mortal--" She cringed in sympathy for me for her past feelings, "But, you never did anything wrong. You couldn't help it that Edward fell in love with you...none of us could....we all tried to dissuade him from doing just that. We told him it would be a huge mistake and he would regret it later....I'm sure Edward told you I had the hardest time accepting it...not that you need to be told by my behavior towards you. But, he did fall in love with you and it was too late. Once Edward makes up his mind about something, it is impossible to sway him."

I smiled, definitely knowing how that was and Rosalie continued, "I had no right to treat you like that. I hated the fact that you had everything I had, with none of the bad." She chuckled shakily and looked down, ashamed.

"But, Rosalie I want it. To me, it's not bad. To me, it's beautiful...because it's the only way I can be with Edward forever. I have no regrets. In fact, I am counting down the seconds until that moment."

"Why?" Rosalie asked, exasperatedly.

"Because I love Edward. And, nothing is more important to me than being with him for as long as possible. And when 'forever' is literally a possibility...why would I pass that up?"

Rosalie stared at me, "You're braver than I am. I am terrified of living forever. Not because I don't love Emmett, I do; I love him so, so much--I cannot imagine my life without him--but rather, I'm afraid of waht the future holds for us. Don't you ever worry about what will happen to us? There's bound to be some sort of apocalypse or something with how bad this world is becoming. You aren't scared?"

"No." I answered immediately, "As long as I have Edward by my side, I know that I have no reason to fear. I am completely safe with him and I know that no matter what happens, I'll always love him and I'll always be his. I am his Esme, his Alice, his Rosalie just as he is my Carlisle, my Jasper, my Emmett. He is my soulmate and I have no doubt that everything will be beyond perfect."

Rosalie chuckled and stared at me in awe, "Alice was right: you are becoming more like Edward everyday."

"What do you mean?" I asked, cocking my head to the side.

"That is exactly...word-for-word, what Edward said to us about you when he first realized just how much he loves you."

I couldn't help but smile at that. "Weird, huh?"

She shook her head, "No...it's beautiful...just like you said."

I smiled wider, "Another good point: when I am a vampire, I'll be beautiful for once in my life. I will feel like I really do belong with Edward. I'll know that he has the beauty and perfection that he deserves."

Rosalie tilted her head and grimaced, "Bella...you are beautiful."

I rolled my eyes, "Yeah, right. Did Edward buy you a car to get you to say that?"

"Bella!" She remprimanded, more firmly, "First of all, Edward knows bribes don't work with me, so he doesn't even bother trying; second of all, you don't have to be a vampire to be gorgeous. Even if you weren't beautiful on the outside as a human, Bella, your inner beauty far exceeds all of our outer beauty combined."

I simply stared at her, looking for some sign that this was all a joke, but found none. "Wow...thank you, Rosalie...that--you--" I broke off, shaking my head, not knowing how else to react. "Thank you." I repeated, my voice cracking on the words.

She smiled and nudged me playfully with her shoulder, "I mean it, Bella. I know that centuries of saying the words 'I'm sorry' won't change anything, but I promise you, I'll never stop trying to make everything up to you."

"That's not necessary." I said, smiling, relieved that she didn't hate me.

"Yes...it IS." She insisted, "Bella, you're going to be my sister soon....You have to know that I am so very sorry and you are just as much my sister as Alice is." She smiled and shrugged, taking my hands again, "I love you, Bella."

I chuckled at how cute she looked, "I love you, too. Thank you so much...I'm so glad I have your approval."

"You never needed it." She assured me.

"Still..." I protested, breaking off again.

She smiled again and said, "Okay, well, we better get you out of these clothes before Edward breaks in to be sure I didn't hurt you."

I rolled my eyes and chuckled, "Okay."

She stood up, helped me up, and began searching through her endless wardrobe again.

After a few seconds, she said, triumphantly, "Aha! Found it." She pursed her lips and pulled out a plain white sundress. It was beautiful, though, and picturing her wearing it made me feel worse, knowing she would look amazing in it and I'd look like an idiot who's trying too hard.

I rolled my eyes, "Rose, I can't pull that off."

"Yes, you can." She protested, leading me over to the bed and sitting me down. She removed it from the hanger and said, "This dress...is from my human life."

I looked at her immediately and she nodded and smiled slightly, "It was my favorite dress. My parents had it made for me. Every piece of fabric was hand sewn." She fingered the fabric and closed her eyes as if reliving a memory. I watched her as she did this.

After a second, she looked at me and said, "I want YOU to have it."

I shook my head, "No..."

"YES." She insisted, handing it to me, forcing it into my hands. "I know how much you love the sun....Enjoy it while you can." She smiled encouragingly. I couldn't reject it; not now. I could force it back onto her in a couple of decades or so.

I took it and smiled, "It's beautiful. Thank you."

She smiled and patted my shoulder. "I'll give you some privacy."

She left the room ever so perfectly and I stared after her in wonder and awe. I sighed shakily and then changed quickly and made my hair somewhat decent: it had already dried into tangled curls, matted to my head, so I merely untangled it and then glanced at myself in the mirror. Ugh. I was right. I did look weird compared to how Rosalie would look in it. That thought made me groan in disgust. Then, I gathered up my wet clothes and carried them with me into the living room.

I dreaded walking in there with how ridiculous and out of place I looked. The Cullens and Hales could wear torn old t-shirts, baggy jeans and still look flawlessly perfect. I could be dressed in a designer evening gown and still look like a dead potted plant next to them

I sighed and forced myself to walk into the room, dreading everyone's reactions.